THESE IMAGES WERE MADE IN AND AROUND BEALE STREET, ONCE CONSIDERED THE "BLACK FOLK'S DOWNTOWN." IT WAS LARGELY BOARDED UP WHEN I TOOK THESE PHOTOS IN THE LATE 70S, SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN RENOVATED AS A TOURIST ATTRACTION.
THERE WERE 4 BUSINESSES OPEN WHEN I WAS THERE; SCHWABS DEPARTMENT STORE, ART HUTKINS HARDWARE, THE NEW DAISY THEATRE AND LANSKY BROTHERS, WHO SOLD ELVIS HIS SUITS.
LANSKY'S AND SCHWABS ARE STILL THERE, AT LAST REPORT.
I TOOK THESE PHOTOS TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT: TO SHOW THE LOOK OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THE BLUESMEN LIVED AND WORKED IN. THE PRE-RENOVATION FACADES, BOARDED UP AND SHABBY, PROBABLY GIVE A BETTER FEEL FOR THE REALITY OF THE PLACE THEN THE CURRENT GLITZY TOURIST SCENE.
THERE ARE ALSO PHOTOS OF THE HOTEL'S WHERE I STAYED - THE HOTEL TENNESSEE, AND THE AMBASSADOR. BOTH COST FIVE DOLLARS A NIGHT, WERE SAFE, CLEAN AND FULL OF GUESTS WHO LOOKED LIKE MOVIE EXTRAS, SOME OF WHOSE PHOTOS YOU SEE HERE.
